Part of Skilak Lake Road Open

A portion of the closed Skilak Lake Road, the gravel road connecting the Sterling Highway to recreation areas on five lakes near Sterling, was reopened on Tuesday afternoon. According to an Alaska Department of Transportation press release, DOT closed the road Thursday afternoon because it was impassable due to wet and saturated conditions.

The road is open from the west entrance approximately 9 miles, as far as the Upper Skilak Lake campground.

Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Shannon McCarthy said the other end of the road will remain closed for the next few days.

“What they did is section off the area that’s really wet and can’t be driven over,” McCarthy said. “It’s just really mucky.”

DOT will post updates on the road’s condition at 511.alaska.gov.

Reach Ben Boettger at ben.boettger@peninsulaclarion.com

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